Art’s healing touch on display at West Park

For Karen Mackay, art is many things.

It’s a medium to time travel; therapy to calm the mind; comfort for aches and pains.

“Art magically takes my mind off the sickness,” says Karen, 42, who has been an inpatient at UHN’s West Park Healthcare Centre since 2016 after a car accident in 2004 left her partially quadriplegic.

Over the past eight years at West Park, Karen’s interaction with art has been multi-faceted and deeply gratifying. In addition to being an appreciative audience for the works on display throughout the hospital, she discovered her passion for creating art with watercolours and acrylic paint through the Recreation Therapy Department’s drop-in classes, and also serves on the West Park Art Council.

Experiences such as Karen’s were a key driver in the launching of an art strategy for West Park’s new building. It’s supported by extensive research demonstrating the ability of the arts to alleviate stress, depression and anxiety, helping patients focus on something beyond their illness.

“It is important to recognize the therapeutic powers of art in a healthcare setting where its purpose goes beyond aesthetics and décor,” says Susan MacDonald, Director, Art Strategy at UHN.

Donated art and partnerships with community arts organizations are helping to ensure that West Park’s walls aren’t empty.

Toronto artist Dennis Lin donated and recently installed his stunning two-storey mobile installation “Milky Way,” which incorporates natural materials, some found on campus, to represent how West Park helps people get their lives back.

Another recent installation was made possible by RX Art, a non-profit organization focused on helping people heal through visual art. A beautiful, 100-foot mural by Canadian contemporary artist Elizabeth McIntosh is now located on the wall next to the south entrance.

Other generous contributions have come from contemporary abstract painter Mike Hammer; donor and West Park volunteer Viola Lobodowsky, who donated pieces from her private collection; and artist Bill Schwarz, who refers to his style as architecture whimsy.

Physicians and staff have also stepped up. Dr. Chris Boulias, a physiatrist and clinical researcher, donated many artworks to reflect particular programs at West Park, while retired staff member Bill Burke contributed more than 25 pieces that humorously capture stories of the hospital.

Karen’s favorite work of art at West Park is an oil-on-canvas painting of sunflowers, donated by her friend. Located in the corridor outside her inpatient unit on Level Six, she often immerses herself in it.

“The bright, yellow flowers pop out from the darker backdrop. For me, they symbolize hope.”